When someone in public life says ‘but think of the children’ (or similar) as a reason for doing something, ask yourself what they *don’t* want you to think about instead - and why.
Gideon Hallett
@gmh@mastodon.social
mastodon
4.6.0-nightly.2026-04-20
Given to compulsive pondering.
He/him/bleurgh.
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Joined August 09, 2018
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@gmh@mastodon.social
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3d ago
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@gmh@mastodon.social
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Apr 13, 2026
Seen in St Paul’s Churchyard.
No argument with the point in question - but dear God, the scansion…
That faint vibration you feel might be the Central Line; it might also be the remnants of John Donne rotating at generator speed.
No argument with the point in question - but dear God, the scansion…
That faint vibration you feel might be the Central Line; it might also be the remnants of John Donne rotating at generator speed.
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@gmh@mastodon.social
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Apr 13, 2026
I have a new toy. It is cute and beautifully made and shiny.
Also very well-made, very sturdy and likely to be very useful for fiddly little jobs.
(It’s the Metmo Fractal Vice, if you’re curious.)
Also very well-made, very sturdy and likely to be very useful for fiddly little jobs.
(It’s the Metmo Fractal Vice, if you’re curious.)
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@gmh@mastodon.social
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Apr 12, 2026
Sudden random flash of memory and spotting a pun I’d never clocked before.
Yellow Submarine, just after the four board, and Ringo says: ‘I wonder what happens if I pull this lever?’
Young Fred: ‘Oh no, you mustn’t touch that!’
Ringo: ‘I can’t help it. I’m a born lever-puller.’
*groan*
(Haven’t seen the film in decades. Don’t ask me why I just realised now.)
Yellow Submarine, just after the four board, and Ringo says: ‘I wonder what happens if I pull this lever?’
Young Fred: ‘Oh no, you mustn’t touch that!’
Ringo: ‘I can’t help it. I’m a born lever-puller.’
*groan*
(Haven’t seen the film in decades. Don’t ask me why I just realised now.)
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@gmh@mastodon.social
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Apr 12, 2026
@KrissyKat It’s a thing that particular type of leader loves doing.
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@gmh@mastodon.social
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Apr 10, 2026
@cstross @dresstokilt A part of me is sad that no recording survives of Arlo’s dad singing ‘Old Man Trump’ (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Man_Trump)
The apple didn’t fall too far from that tree.
The apple didn’t fall too far from that tree.
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@gmh@mastodon.social
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Apr 10, 2026
@gabe Yes, but… it has become synonymous with a firm line of last resort; ‘this much and no further’ - one possible origin I saw mentioned was an officer at the Alamo making a mark in the dirt with his sword.
Yet very few things are as easy to remove or replace as a line in the sand, and the politicians who use the phrase are often the first ones to sacrifice principles to expediency.
Yet very few things are as easy to remove or replace as a line in the sand, and the politicians who use the phrase are often the first ones to sacrifice principles to expediency.
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@gmh@mastodon.social
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Apr 10, 2026
RE: https://c.im/@Opfoss/116379397470028171
All together now, in four part harmony and with feeling! (and 27 8” x 5” colour glossy pictures with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one…)
You can get anything you want at Alice’s Restaurant…
All together now, in four part harmony and with feeling! (and 27 8” x 5” colour glossy pictures with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one…)
You can get anything you want at Alice’s Restaurant…
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@gmh@mastodon.social
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Apr 10, 2026
@cstross@wandering.shop True, that’s a good one!
There are so many good nautical phrases, and the context is usually forgotten - the one I like is that the longest seam on a boat is the devil - so caulking that seam is a terrible job - having the devil to pay - and the person doing it was ‘caught between the devil and the deep blue sea’.
There are so many good nautical phrases, and the context is usually forgotten - the one I like is that the longest seam on a boat is the devil - so caulking that seam is a terrible job - having the devil to pay - and the person doing it was ‘caught between the devil and the deep blue sea’.
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@gmh@mastodon.social
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Apr 10, 2026
Morning word-nerd silly thought: is there any more fatuous phrase for resolution or determination than ‘a line in the sand’?
Sand? Just about the poster child for impermanence and mobility.
Sand? Just about the poster child for impermanence and mobility.
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@gmh@mastodon.social
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Apr 09, 2026
@BenCotterill I've updated to 26.4.1, which dropped tonight, and my phone has decided that I'm old enough, even though my iCloud account is only 16 years old.
So they might have relaxed their restrictions somewhat; alternatively, it may be that I had a support issue open with them and the support staff saw me trying to take a photo of my passport.
So if you're still having issues, might be worth having a chat with support.
So they might have relaxed their restrictions somewhat; alternatively, it may be that I had a support issue open with them and the support staff saw me trying to take a photo of my passport.
So if you're still having issues, might be worth having a chat with support.
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@gmh@mastodon.social
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Apr 09, 2026
And that was that - for me, at least.
iOS 26.4.1 dropped this evening, and either the 18-year Apple account limit has been dropped, or they’ve added in other metrics (I bought my first bit of hardware direct from Apple in 2005 - 5 years before I had an iCloud account).
It’s still a Bloody Stupid Faff and - as a technology, has more problems than a logician’s wet dreams, but I can at least use my phone for work again without fearing it’ll block or report me.
iOS 26.4.1 dropped this evening, and either the 18-year Apple account limit has been dropped, or they’ve added in other metrics (I bought my first bit of hardware direct from Apple in 2005 - 5 years before I had an iCloud account).
It’s still a Bloody Stupid Faff and - as a technology, has more problems than a logician’s wet dreams, but I can at least use my phone for work again without fearing it’ll block or report me.
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@gmh@mastodon.social
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Mar 27, 2026
@BenCotterill I’ve been speaking to Apple Support over the last couple of days and they are saying that they expect a fix within the next few days. I’ll let you know of any update as I get one.
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@gmh@mastodon.social
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Mar 25, 2026
@BenCotterill I've not seen anything like that, thankfully - and one application that I do occasionally buy things in was OK to do so yesterday evening - so it may be a case of new applications not being permitted, rather than 'everything you have is now blocked!'
So far, it's more inconvenient and annoying rather than serious, but I'll keep checking - I've not found a useful list of what is and isn't blocked.
So far, it's more inconvenient and annoying rather than serious, but I'll keep checking - I've not found a useful list of what is and isn't blocked.
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@gmh@mastodon.social
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Mar 25, 2026
@Robbe_Duesseldorf Yet.
Another German respondent also said that iOS 26.4 doesn't implement age verification in Germany.
However, given the forces behind this and the noises from various lobbies in Brussels, I would be surprised if you don't have a similar fight in your future.
Another German respondent also said that iOS 26.4 doesn't implement age verification in Germany.
However, given the forces behind this and the noises from various lobbies in Brussels, I would be surprised if you don't have a similar fight in your future.
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@gmh@mastodon.social
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Mar 25, 2026
@Robbe_Duesseldorf It would hurt - but for what?
Android's Play Store also has age verification (admittedly, I don't know the details about it).
People are trying to shoehorn it into systemd.
Android hardware and GrapheneOS? - doable, but a giant pain arising out a stupid and illiberal UK law.
Android's Play Store also has age verification (admittedly, I don't know the details about it).
People are trying to shoehorn it into systemd.
Android hardware and GrapheneOS? - doable, but a giant pain arising out a stupid and illiberal UK law.
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@gmh@mastodon.social
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Mar 25, 2026
@elexia Unfortunately, they both croaked in the last decade (aged 80+) - I guess this must be my second childhood!
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@gmh@mastodon.social
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Mar 25, 2026
@bryan Eh, so far it's not been a problem. I don't use the apps covered by it, and I don't buy game-related stuff on my phone.
But being hobbled on a device I own, with an account I've been using for 16 years, in the name of a law passed by authoritarian control freaks?
Yeah, that sucks and it pisses me off mightily.
(And not being able to read Apple support forums because I'm not verified is just the cherry on top...)
But being hobbled on a device I own, with an account I've been using for 16 years, in the name of a law passed by authoritarian control freaks?
Yeah, that sucks and it pisses me off mightily.
(And not being able to read Apple support forums because I'm not verified is just the cherry on top...)
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@gmh@mastodon.social
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Mar 25, 2026
@bryan @jik See also https://piunikaweb.com/2026/03/25/apple-ios-26-4-age-verification-uk-release/ - I'm a long way from being the only person in this particular boat.
*sigh* - it's an odious and ineffective law (see https://www.openrightsgroup.org/campaign/stop-state-censorship-of-online-speech/) and Apple's compliance has been implemented in a way that inconveniences many people who've been using Apple products for decades.
*sigh* - it's an odious and ineffective law (see https://www.openrightsgroup.org/campaign/stop-state-censorship-of-online-speech/) and Apple's compliance has been implemented in a way that inconveniences many people who've been using Apple products for decades.
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@gmh@mastodon.social
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Mar 25, 2026
@bryan @jik Hey, everyone does it from time to time, no worries.
One thing that does annoy me slightly is that scanning your passport should apparently work.
If you search, you'll find any number of people a couple of weeks ago saying 'I'm using the beta, passport scanning isn't working' (e.g. https://discussions.apple.com/thread/256262372 - which I can't read because I'm not old enough!)
Yet the release seems to have just been rolled out regardless without fixing this, which is really shoddy.
One thing that does annoy me slightly is that scanning your passport should apparently work.
If you search, you'll find any number of people a couple of weeks ago saying 'I'm using the beta, passport scanning isn't working' (e.g. https://discussions.apple.com/thread/256262372 - which I can't read because I'm not old enough!)
Yet the release seems to have just been rolled out regardless without fixing this, which is really shoddy.
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@gmh@mastodon.social
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Mar 25, 2026
@castaway Got the 'you must log in to view this content' when I tried. Sighed, linked my Apple ID to the community, verified it using my phone and got that message.
I know what the post I wanted to read was about, since I could find the first few lines on a search engine, but try to view it on the community forum and... not so much.
There's probably some way around it, but it's just the cherry on the shit sandwich...
I know what the post I wanted to read was about, since I could find the first few lines on a search engine, but try to view it on the community forum and... not so much.
There's probably some way around it, but it's just the cherry on the shit sandwich...
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@gmh@mastodon.social
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Mar 24, 2026
@pdcawley Yeah, I think my Apple ID dates from when I got an iPhone (March 2010) and I could have been a superintelligent toddler at that point…
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@gmh@mastodon.social
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Mar 24, 2026
So, until I can get the passport working as ID, my iPhone is feature-limited.
I can live without the ability to download 18+ apps.
The ability to make in-app purchases? That's a bit more severe; there are plenty of things you can buy in-app that aren't porn or loot boxes.
And until I can somehow get this fixed, I'm a child.
To add insult to injury, I tried to look at the Apple community for similar reports and got this...
Apparently, tech support is for grownups!
Whoop de fucking doo. 2/2
I can live without the ability to download 18+ apps.
The ability to make in-app purchases? That's a bit more severe; there are plenty of things you can buy in-app that aren't porn or loot boxes.
And until I can somehow get this fixed, I'm a child.
To add insult to injury, I tried to look at the Apple community for similar reports and got this...
Apparently, tech support is for grownups!
Whoop de fucking doo. 2/2
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@gmh@mastodon.social
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Mar 24, 2026
In Which I Am Apparently A Child...
So, I saw today's news about DarkSword, and although I don't have anything with iOS that old (v18.7 or older), I noticed a new version of iOS out (26.4) and decided to update.
Bad move. Bad, bad move.
iOS 26.4 implements age verification.
It's very simple - just scan your credit card or government id and bingo.
I don't have a credit card.
The government ID is apparently:
- a driving license (which I don't have)
- a passport (which isn't scanning)
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So, I saw today's news about DarkSword, and although I don't have anything with iOS that old (v18.7 or older), I noticed a new version of iOS out (26.4) and decided to update.
Bad move. Bad, bad move.
iOS 26.4 implements age verification.
It's very simple - just scan your credit card or government id and bingo.
I don't have a credit card.
The government ID is apparently:
- a driving license (which I don't have)
- a passport (which isn't scanning)
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@gmh@mastodon.social
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Dec 22, 2025
@cstross@wandering.shop I find it extremely unlikely that the censors would have let something like that get through the initial sorting.
(Then again, I thought the same about the birthday card and was wrong there.)
(Then again, I thought the same about the birthday card and was wrong there.)
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